


Why So Down, Sugar?

by Thatoneloser_kid



Series: Cartinelli Tumblr Prompts [2]
Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: F/F, Soulmate AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-07
Updated: 2015-02-07
Packaged: 2018-03-10 23:05:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3306674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatoneloser_kid/pseuds/Thatoneloser_kid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Cartinelli soulmate au?'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Why So Down, Sugar?

She woke up at four am with a searing pain shooting up her arm. She knew exactly what it was, what was causing the burning sensation, but that didn't stop her worrying. 

_'Why so down, Sugar?'_

Peggy groaned at the words on arm, having hoped for at least a name because _anyone_ could say something like that to her. 

It was her sixteen birthday and everyone knows what happens on their sixteenth birthday. The first words your soulmate will ever say to you will appear etched into your skin like some kind of tattoo that will have you overanalyse everything everyone says to you. 

Howard had his ( _'You are such a sleaze'_ ), he got his a few months before she did and all he has done is talk about it, going on about how _that_ could be the first words someone would say to him. 

When she met Steve Rogers she fell in love, even in the knowledge that he wasn't her soulmate. And, God, nothing hurt more than losing Steve Rodgers. 

Then she went to work for the SSR and as much as they were misogynistic and rude it was still a job. A tedious, irritating job.

She ended up in a diner in the middle of Manhattan, she had only really entered the diner mostly to get out of the rain. 

She had had a terrible few days. The SSR were hunting Howard, her best friend, the boy she grew up with, her roommate had been shot and killed and there was not doubt that was down to her and now she had no place to live. She had no idea what her next move was.

She had placed her order of tea and 'whatever was good' with a slightly older lady and then sat down to sulk on her own. 

Peggy didn't look up when a mug was placed down in front of her and the waitress began pouring steaming hot tea into it. 

"Why so down, Sugar?"

Peggy felt like she had just been kicked in the chest and her arm was beginning to burn. So her soulmate was a woman? What a perfect end to a shitting week. 

Peggy look up and, ok, so this woman was beautiful, her empathetic blue eyes gazing softly down at her, like she would give Peggy the shirt off her back if it would help. 

Jeez, first Steve Rogers, the man who gave his life to a country that would always kick him while he was down and now this woman.

"Sorry, I've just had a bad week."

Peggy watched curiously as the woman's smile faltered and she rolled her shoulder. 

"Oh," she breathed, looking a little disoriented but that only lasted a few seconds before a smile, not nearly as real as the previous one. "I will just go get your food."

Peggy watched the woman rush off to the counter, getting a plate from under the counter before setting it on the surface. 

The woman let out a breath, her hand coming up to rest on her forehead while the other gripped onto the counter. 

Peggy averted her eyes, not wanting to invade the woman's personal moment, looking down at her roughed, picking at nails instead. 

Peggy startled slightly when a plate was placed down in front of her. "I don't know what the pies are like in England but this is the best pie you will taste this side of the water."

Peggy looked down at the slice of pie in front of her before smiling and looking up at the woman. "In England we put meat in our pies."

"Really?" The woman looked mildly disgusted at the fact. "Well, that's rhubarb and I can assure you it is delicious."

"Did you make it yourself?"

The woman grinned proudly and nodded. "Sure did."

"Then I have no doubt it will be delicious." Peggy smiled when the woman in front of her smiled brightly, the little niggle in her chest making her feel less irritated that her soulmate happened to be a woman. 

"Hey, sweetheart, how about taking my order?"

The woman, Angie, Peggy had realised after finally reading her name tag, rolled her eyes but ignored the man behind her. 

"Can I get you anything else? I hear the cupcake can make even the worst of days better."

"That's temping, really, but I think this will be more than enough. Thank you."

"Hey, you still work here, don't you?" The same man called. 

Peggy glared past Angie to the man who was glaring over at them. "Regular?"

"Unfortunately." Angie sighed, tugging her stage smile onto her lips before turning to serve the rude costumer. 

Peggy watched vigilantly over the top of her cup, watching as Angie happily took the mans order, turning to take the order to the kitchen only to have her butt slapped as the man told her he 'didn't have all day'.

Angie stalled in her movement, taking in a deep, calming breath then headed off into the kitchen. 

Peggy was out of her seat within seconds of Angie disappearing, walking up behind the man, grabbing his sharp knife and forcing it down to pin the sleeve of his suit to the wooden table. 

"What the..."

Peggy took her 'pen' from her shirt pocket, jamming it against the mans spine. "This thing I have pressing against your spine? This will deal you a shock powerful enough to cause muscle convulsions and a lot of pain so I would listen very clearly."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to leave and never set foot back in this diner again. I also want you to leave a generous tip for the nice waitress who just took your order, understand?"

"You're crazy, I..."

"Ah ah," Peggy tutted, pushing the top button on the pen, sending a warning jolt of electricity into the mans spine, causing him to yelp. "I don't remember asking you to speak. And maybe if you can't speak to a lady with some respect you shouldn't speak at all. Now, nod if you understand what I said." 

The man nodded quickly and Peggy smiled, putting the pen back into her pocket. "Good lad." Peggy patted the mans shoulder before stepping away from him, glancing towards the kitchen window to make sure Angie hadn't seen anything. She hadn't, she was to busy joking around with the cook to pay any attention to them. 

Peggy made her way back to her seat while the man scurried to grab his wallet, leaving a handful of notes then scampered out the door. 

When Angie came out of the kitchen again she frowned at the notes on the table, glancing over at Peggy who smiled behind her cup, giving a little shrug to Angie's curious frown. 

Peggy stayed at the diner for the remainder of the night, only getting caught staring at Angie twice. It was around nine when she felt someone sit down across from her, her hands automatically gripping tighter around her knife, it was only a butter knife but she could deal some damage with it, but her grip loosened when a piece of pie was slid over to her. 

Peggy looked up to see Angie sitting across from her, the left side of her red lips curved up into a sympathetic smile. "This is the last slice, I thought maybe we could share it."

"Aren't you working?"

"I just got off. I was gonna leave but, I don't know, you seem down. If you wanna be on your own just say so and I'm gone."

"Why would you want to sit here after a long day on your feet?"

Angie leant her elbows on the table, holding out a fork to Peggy. "I think you know why, English."

Peggy did, it was the main reason she hadn't left yet, either. Well, that and she had nowhere to go to. 

"I didn't catch your name?"

"Peggy. Peggy Carter."

"I'm Angie Martinelli."

"Nice to meet you."

"So," Angie started, cutting off an piece of the pie with her fork and popped it into her mouth. "What's got you so down?"

"I've just had a bad week is all."

"You wanna talk about it?"

She did. For the first time in her life she felt like she wanted to just spill her guts to someone. She wasn't going to, though, not ever. 

"My roommate died and I'm homeless now."

"Oh, I'm sorry, honey." Angie frowned sympathetically at Peggy. 

"I hardly knew her, we only lived together for a couple of weeks but she was just familiar, you know?"

Angie nodded, her hand sliding across the table and her fingers tentatively brush against Peggy's. That's what it would always be like if they did get together, the secretive touches. "Why are you homeless?"

"I wasn't down on the tenant agreement. Technically she was the only one living there."

"Well, what are you gonna do for the night?"

"I will probably just go to a hotel down town."

"You shouldn't be walking around down town on your own," the woman said with a concerned frown. "Come back with me. There's a room up for grabs at the buildin' I live in, the landlady won't be able to talk to ya 'til tomorrow so you will have to crash at mine 'til then but it's a nice place, a lot of nice girls, and I will be your neighbour so that ain't nothin'."

The woman was smiling so hopefully, her blue eyes glinting in the low light of the diner and, God, Peggy should say no. Peggy should say no and get the hell out of there before she ended up getting this lovely girl into trouble like she did Colleen but just imagining the disappointment on Angie's face when she said no made her stomach churn. 

"I was always warned against going home with strangers."

"I'm not just a stranger, we both know that." Angie quirked an eyebrow at Peggy, taking a forkful of pie into her mouth. 

"You could still be a serial killer." Peggy pointed her fork at Angie before taking a piece of pie. 

"Do I look like a serial killer?"

"No," Peggy agreed, taking a forkful of pie into her mouth and chewing. " _But_ it's the pretty ones you have to keep a close eye on."

Angie smiled at the statement, rolling her eyes at Peggy in a way of trying to mask her embarrassment. "Whatever, English. If you don't agree I will follow you to the hotel to make sure you get there safe."

"Well, I can't have you walk home on your own, can I?" Peggy leg out a fake sigh, pointing at Angie with her fork. "Also, you threatening to stalk me on my way home on a dark, wet night isn't doing much for my thinking you're a serial killer."

Angie huffed out a laugh, averting her eyes to the table surface as she tapped her fork against it. "Well, I guess I know I'm safe. What're the chances both of us are serial killers?"

Peggy laughed, her crimson lips splitting into a toothy grin, her pearly teeth biting down on her bottom lips. 

Angie looked somewhat smug at the fact she made Peggy laugh, her eyes running over Peggy's face as she smiled over at the agent. 

"Are you planning on staying here tonight, Martinelli?"

Angie sighed, drawing her eyes away from Peggy to look at her manager. 

"No, SIR, we were just gettin' ready to leave."

"Five minutes and we're closing up."

"Jerk," Angie murmured, placing her fork on the plate and levelling her eyes back on Peggy. "What'd you say, English? I know we don't really know each other but, I mean, you got it, too, didn't you? Like, I'm yours, right?"

"Yes," 

Angie released a breath, "Thank god, I thought, maybe, this was a one sided thing."

"No," Peggy shook her head lightly. "And yes, I will go home with you."

"That's great,"

"Martinelli!" Angie's manager hollered. 

Angie huffed as she stood up, grabbing all the plates and the mug on the table. "Don't go runnin' out on me now."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Peggy assured, sliding her arms into her jacket as Angie rushed into the kitchen, emerging about half a minute later with her jacket on and an umbrella in her hand. 

At first the waitress's smile faltered when she didn't seem Peggy sitting at the table but it was back as soon as she saw her standing beside the door. 

"Come on then, Miss Martinelli. We don't want to get stuck if it starts raining heavily again."

"That's what this is for, Miss Carter." Angie held up her umbrella and reached past Peggy to open the door. "Ladies first."

Peggy chuckled and shook her head a little, stepping out into the chilly New York night. 

Angie walked out behind, popping out her umbrella and holding it above her head. "It ain't far,"

Peggy nodded, walking out from under the shelter and expected to feel the rain hit her face but Angie had the umbrella over her head before it could. "Thank you."

Angie was right, the Griffith couldn't have been more than a five minute walk down the street, which Peggy was thankful for, she didn't like the idea of Angie walking around the streets of New York alone in the dark. 

Angie managed to sneak them both in without running into trouble, quickly ushering Peggy into her room with a brief point down the hallway to the room beside her own. "That is gonna be your new home."

Peggy dropped her bag by the door and looked around. It was small but cosy. She liked it. 

"You can get changed in the bathroom." Angie gestured towards the bathroom room, smiling at Peggy. "Can I get you anythin'? Are you hungry?"

"No. You have done more then enough." Peggy assured, crouching to open up her backpack, one she had from her army days, and rifled around to find her pyjamas. 

Peggy got changed and got washed up, using a spare tooth brush that Angie was gracious enough to give her. When she left the bathroom she stopped at the sight of Angie lying on the sofa. "Oh, no, Angie. I insist you allow me to take the couch."

"You are the guest, Peggy, I couldn't allow that."

"I couldn't take your bed."

"English," Angie sighed, pushing herself up onto her elbows on looking over at Peggy who crossed her arms, raising her eyebrows sternly at Angie. "Fine. But I ain't happy about it."

Peggy watched Angie as she huffily got out from under the covers and stomped over to her bed. 

"You reminded me an awful lot like a child having a tantrum."

"I'm just not used to not gettin' what I want." Angie pouted, climbing under the covers of her single bed. 

"A pretty face like that I am not all surprised." Peggy said as she done the same, closing her eyes when Angie flicked the light off. 

Peggy could feel most of the pent up tension leave her body as she began to relax but she was startled out of her half sleeping state when Angie spoke. 

"Did you get it, too? The burnin', the chest pains." The waitress muttered quietly, obviously not wanted to wake Peggy if she just so happened to be asleep. 

"Yes."

Angie was silent for a few seconds, turning into her side to try and peer at Peggy through the darkness. "Are you disappointed?"

"About what?"

"That it's me?"

Peggy frowned a little, "No, not even a little bit."

"But I'm just a waitress."

Peggy frowned a little, getting up from the sofa and padded over to the bed, laying down when Angie shuffled back. 

"That's not true at all. You are beautiful, strong, charismatic, charming, empathetic, beautiful, cheeky and I am not disappointed that it's you. I'm disappointed in societies views on two woman but you? No, not at all."

"You said beautiful twice." Angie pointed out bashfully. 

"Saying it once didn't seem to suffice."

"Tell me somethin' about you?" Angie requested, staring attentively over at the older woman. 

Peggy gnawed on her lip thoughtfully for a few seconds. "I was in the army. During the war I was a general."

"Wow, you were right up there, weren't ya? I bet the fellas hated that."

"You have no idea the amount of cheeky gits I had to punch to get some respect from them."

"Man, I musta done somethin' ridiculously good in my past life to get landed with a woman like you, English." Angie sighed, almost dreamily before saying, "Speakin' of hittin' men, do you have any idea what happened to the chump of slapped my rear today?"

"No, he just up an left."

"And you didn't have anythin' to do with it?"

"No,"

"See, that's funny cause me, myself, I didn't see anythin' but Linda, the lady I work with, she said you almost took his hand off with a knife."

"I wouldn't have done that in your diner," Peggy replied, only half joking. "And I just didn't like how he treated you."

"Defendin' my honour even when we were strangers, I'm swooning."

"We weren't strangers, not after we said those first words to each other."

"What are we goin' to do about it? I understand if you don't want this, I get that its a lot of pressure."

"We don't really know each other. Maybe we should start off as friends."

"Friends." Angie repeated, sounding somewhat disappointed. "Sure, I can do that."

"I should..." Peggy started, about to get back out of the bed but was stopped by Angie, who shuffled right up against her, her head buried against Peggy's chest. "Friends, Angie."

"Friends cuddle when they're feelin' down. And you said you'd had a bad week so this is my way of makin' you feel better."

Peggy sighed but wrapped her arm Angie's shoulders, nestling her chin against the top of her head. 

\--

Angie had taken her down to see Mrs Fry the next morning, after they were both woken by a loud bang on the door, setting Peggy on edge for a few seconds before she remembered she wasn't in any danger. This wasn't the war anymore. 

Peggy had bullshitted her way through the interview, telling Mrs Fry everything she wanted to hear and had been granted a room right beside a very giddy Angie. 

Peggy had been a little scared when Mrs Fry claimed that the Griffith was 'impenetrable' but that turned out to be a gross over exaggeration. 

The two weeks she had spent at the hotel as yet she had managed to sneak in almost every night and then everyday, before and after work at the SSR, she would spend with Angie, either in their rooms or at the Automat. Peggy would be lying if she said that little niggle that were present the first night she met Angie hadn't just increased to the point where it was getting difficult to handle. 

She was also coming to realise she had a type. Angie had the biggest heart of anyone Peggy had met Before and since Steve Rogers, but only for the people who deserved it. When Angie got mad she reminded Peggy an awful lot of a mountain lion, ridiculously cute but not something you really want to pet. 

Peggy was coming home after a particularly rough night when she ran into Angie. She was just about to set foot into her apartment when Angie came up behind her. 

"Peggy?"

Peggy sighed, pulling a smile onto her lips and turning around to look at Angie. "Hey there."

"Where do you go so late?" Angie frowned, stepping right into Peggy's personal space like she always did. "Where you out with that fella in the suit?"

Peggy nodded, staring somewhat glossy-eyed down at Angie like she always did when Angie got this close. God, she was damn pretty and those lips, that just so happen to be moving. 

"I'm sorry?"

"I asked if he treats you right?"

Peggy pulled her eyes back up to look into Angie's, a sharp rug in her chest when she saw the sad look in the usually happy blue eyes. 

"Oh, no, darling, it's not like that at all."

"Then what are you doin' out there at this time?" Angie asked curiously. "You aren't in trouble, are you? Because I can help."

Peggy smiled at Angie's concern, giving the waitress a little shake of her head. "No, I'm not in any trouble." Peggy assured, running her hand down Angie's arm, gently squeezing her hand and giving it a little tug. "Come inside?"

"It's late."

"Then stay." Peggy gave a little, somewhat shy, shrug. 

"You and Mr Fancy ain't a thing?"

"No, I promise."

"Ok, then." Angie smiled at Peggy as she slid past her and into the apartment. 

Peggy kicked her shoes off and closes the door behind her, wiggling her toes as she padded over to the bed where Angie had decided to sit. 

"Why are you up so late?" Peggy asked, not bothering to get changed or even turn on the lamp before she sat down beside Angie, wrapping her arms around the woman when she cuddled down against her. 

"I had a nightmare," Angie whispered and Peggy pulled back a little to look down at the waitress. 

"About what?"

"The story you told me yesterday about your mission with the howling commandos."

"What happened?" Peggy asked, gently ghosting her knuckles along Angie's cheekbone, drawing the younger woman's eyes up to her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I was there, when you guys were in Russia, but I couldn't do anything. I tried to talk to you, to try and maybe convince you to come home with me but you wouldn't listen, you looked night through me like I wasn't even there. Then people started shooting and you got shot but no matter how hard I tried to stop the bleeding it just wouldn't stop." Angie explained quickly, her breath beginning to pick up a little. 

"Hey, calm down, love." Peggy said calmly, her hand running through Angie's soft hair.

"Did you ever get shot?" Angie asked, tilting her head back to look at Peggy. "And be honest, Peg."

"I did. Twice on the shoulder," Angie lifted her head from Peggy's shoulder to let her point out where the scars where. "They were through and through, no internal damage."

"Did it hurt?" Angie's eyes were on the spot Peggy had pointed to, her fingertips brushing against the clothes covering the scarred tissue. 

"Not at first. I honestly had no idea it had happened until one of the boys pointed it out then it hurt. One second there was no pain then it was all the pain all at once."

"Would it be nuts if I said I had two freckles in the exact same place as your wounds and they just came out of nowhere one day?"

"You don't?" Peggy asked disbelievingly. 

"I don't. I would be crazy if I did, though, right?" Angie laughed light when Peggy huffed. 

"You are cheeky." 

Angie chuckled, nestling back against Peggy, running her fingertips along the woman's arm. "Have you ever been in love before?"

Peggy nodded, her hand running up and down Angie's back. "We were in the army together."

"He didn't come back?"

"No," Peggy shook her head. "It wasn't really anything, we only kissed once. What about you?"

"There was someone three years ago. We were both fresh out of high school."

"What happened?"

"It just didn't work out. The fact that we weren't soulmates puts a certain strain on the relationship. He got jealous often, he was scared that I would meet my soulmate and leave him. See, I was his soulmate, he just wasn't mine. He never really made me feel anything special, you know? I've felt more with you in the two weeks I've known you then I did in the year dating him."

"So he had the first words you said to him on his body but you..."

"Had the first words you said to me." Angie finished, gnawing on her lip. "I terrified that the same thing would happen to me. I just want to be happy and it's not fair that some people might not get that."

Peggy swallowed the lump in her throat and looked down. Angie was talking about then, how were they ever going to be happy having to hide all the time? "Yes, that is sad."

Angie was watching her somewhat curiously. "We could be happy."

"Could we?" Peggy shot back because she didn't see it.

"What are you so scared of? Getting ridiculed by people or letting someone in?" Angie asked but not forcefully or spitefully like Peggy might have expected. 

"There is to much you don't know about me, Angie."

"Jeez, Peggy, don't start with all this 'I'm pushing you away for your own good' crap, I've heard it all before from other people. You pushing me away isn't only destroying your own chance at happiness but mine too, and that's not fair." Angie snapped, sitting up and glaring over at Peggy. "God, we are soulmates and we haven't even spoken about it yet, not really. This happened, Peggy, and you have to decide just how you plan on dealing with it because I'm getting real tired of being strung along by you."

Angie got to her feet and went to storm out of the room only to have a hang grab onto her wrist and spin her around, that wrist being pinned up above her head when Peggy pinned her up against the wall. 

"I'm a secret agent. I work for the SSR, I worked along side captain America in the war and I grew up with Howard Stark. I am currently undercover in my own place of work trying to prove Stark is innocent of treason. My previous room mate was shot and killed by a man who came looking for me." Peggy hissed against Angie's ear, still slightly paranoid that someone may be listening. "Now you are in a position to judge if I am the type of people you want to lay your heart with."

Angie grabbed into Peggy's hand when she felt the woman pull away, shaking her head quickly. "You serious?"

"Deadly."

"I bet you are." Angie teased. "It's too late, I can't make a choice on falling in love with you anymore, it's happening."

"Did you hear what I just said?"

"I did. And it's kinda a relief knowing you aren't out with that fella in the suit."

"Jarvis is a gentleman. A happily married gentleman." Peggy assured, her fingertips ghosting along Angie's cheeks, her thumb running along the younger woman's bottom lip. "It won't be easy."

"Nothing good ever is."

"And when your parents, or anyone, get on your back about getting a nice guy?"

"I will tell them I am happy as I am, and if it comes down to it I will tell them about us."

"How do you know this is for real?"

"I don't, yet. But this feels right to me." Angie whispered, "You will have to tell me a little more about this job of yours."

"I will but right now I feel like I want to kiss you."

"Well, I ain't gonna stop you."

Peggy smiled, letting her forehead fall against Angie's. "Does something happen?"

"Yeah, usually lips touch." Angie frowned, she knew Peggy had kissed people before, she knew Peggy knew how it worked. 

"No, I know how to _kiss_ someone." Angie looked down at Peggy's lips. She didn't doubt that, and she didn't doubt Peggy was _very_ good at it. "I just wasn't sure if it would be different, is being soulmates and all."

"Maybe if you'd kiss me we'd know." Angie almost whined and Peggy grinned at the woman's obvious frustration. 

Peggy placed her knuckles under Angie's chin, guiding the waitress's head back a little. "You are truly the most beautiful woman I've had the pleasure of laying eye on."

Angie felt a blush creep up her neck, to avoid showing Peggy that she was blushing she pushed herself up on her toes slightly, her hands landing on Peggy's shoulder for balance, and kissed Peggy. 

There was no fireworks or sparks like Angie had read in this romance novels but there was a warm feeling spreading across her chest and, yeah, this was definitely the nicest kiss she had ever had. 

Peggy gasped a little as she pulled back, looking down at Angie all glossy-eyed. 

"You talk to much, English." 

Peggy huffed out a chuckle, her forehead gently knocking against Angie's. "If you do it like that you can shut me up any time you wish, darling."

"I'll hold you to that." Angie chirped, arching her eyebrow at Peggy as she tapped the woman's nose with her own.


End file.
